SEO for General Contractors: Stand Out from the Competition

Are you a general contractor looking to grow your online presence and attract more clients?

Search engine optimization (SEO) can help. SEO is the practice of optimizing content for search engines so that when potential customers search with terms relevant to your business, they find your website first. With effective SEO strategies specifically tailored for contractors, like local SEO targeting and high-ranking keyword optimization, you can increase your visibility on SERPs (search engine result pages) and climb those all-important search engine rankings.

By leveraging the power of contractor SEO services, you can exponentially expand your customer base without breaking the bank.

Read on to learn more to ensure your business stands out from the crowd and has a strong online presence.

What Is SEO for Contractors and Why It Is Important for Your Business?

SEO for contractors is a set of best practices used to optimize websites and online content so that it appears higher in search engine rankings. It is important for your business because most customers first search online when looking for a contractor. In fact, according to studies, 95% of potential customers begin their search for products or services on a search engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing. SEO helps ensure your website appears prominently in those search results so you can land the leads and grow your business.

On-Page SEO Vs. Off-Page SEO

Before diving into general contractor SEO techniques, you need to understand the two main types of SEO. On-page SEO refers to optimizing content for search engine rankings on your website, such as keyword optimization and meta tags. Off-page SEO refers to activities outside your website to boost its SERP ranking, like link building and social media marketing. Both are essential for attracting online customers, so it’s important to understand both approaches to get the most out of your contractor’s SEO strategy.

How to Optimize Your Contracting Business Website to Rank Higher on Search Engine Results

You can use several strategies to help your construction company website rank higher in search engine results pages.

Here’s how:

1. Technical SEO

First, you must ensure that your website’s technical aspects meet SEO standards. This includes:

• Optimizing page loading time and responsiveness
• Using Alt tags for images
• Making sure search engines index all pages
• Ensuring the security of your website
• Making your website mobile-friendly

2. Content Optimization

Once you’ve taken care of the technical aspects, it’s time to focus on one of the most critical parts of your digital marketing—content optimization. This means creating content that resonates with both users and search engines, such as:

• Writing informative blogs about construction topics
• Researching and incorporating relevant keywords in page titles and descriptions
• Creating detailed service pages for each of your offerings
• Using local SEO to target potential customers in your area

3. Link Building and Social Media Strategies

Finally, leverage off-page SEO tactics like link building and social media marketing. Link building involves creating links from other websites that return to your business. This can be in the form of guest blogging or content partnerships.

Meanwhile, social media platforms are a great way to spread awareness of your brand and boost traffic to your website. This includes optimizing profiles on sites like Facebook and Instagram to reach more potential customers organically.

How to Research Keywords and Use Them in Your Content to Improve Website Traffic

You need to include relevant keywords to make your content rank higher on search engine results pages. Keywords are terms, phrases, and questions users type into search engines. So, when a user wants to look for a contractor near them, they might type: “general contractor near me.”

To ensure you’re using the most effective keywords, it helps to research them first. You can use free tools like Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, or Ubersuggest to determine which phrases are most searched in your area and industry. This will help you create content that is tailored to those specific terms so that when potential customers search for them, they find your website first.

Types of Keywords You Should Target

While there are several types of keywords in SEO, construction companies should focus on these main types:

• Long-tail keywords. Long-tail phrases are more specific and often include local modifiers like city names or zip codes. Some examples are “roofing contractor in Denver” or “concrete foundation installation in Los Angeles.”
• Transactional keywords. These are search terms that include words like “price,” “cost,” and “buy.” They indicate that the user is looking to make a purchase or hire someone for a job. Some examples are “How much does a roofing job cost” and “Affordable construction services near me.”
• Question keywords. Users type these questions into search engines when looking for a contractor, such as “How much does a general contractor charge?”
• Short-tail keywords. These are high-volume search terms that are less specific than long-tail phrases. Examples include “construction services” and “contractors near me.” Note that these can be hard to rank for because they are so competitive, but it’s still best to include them on your website.
• Competitors keywords. These are keywords used by other contractors in your area. You can use a tool like Ahrefs to find out what terms they’re targeting and incorporate them into your website content.

How to Use Keywords on Your Content

Here are some tips on how to use keywords effectively in your content:

• Integrate the target keyword into page titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
• Use variations of the keyword throughout the body of the content.
• Make sure that all content is relevant and useful to readers.
• Avoid keyword stuffing, which can hurt your contractor business website’s ranking.
• Use keywords on your images’ captions, tags, and URLs.

How to Write High-Quality and Engaging Blog Posts

Blog posts are a great way to provide valuable information about your services and present yourself as an expert in the field. Here are some tips for creating high-quality blog posts:

• User intent. Ensure your blog post is relevant to what your target audience is searching for. For instance, if your target keyword is “roofing repairs near me,” include information about roofing repair services in the post.
• Make your titles catchy. This will help readers instantly identify what the blog post is about and draw them in. For example, “Everything You Need to Know About Roofing Repairs.”
• Content structure. Organize your content into headings and subheadings that make it easy for readers to find the necessary information. Also, use bulleted or numbered lists to separate your content into more digestible chunks.
• Grammar errors-free and interesting. Double-check for any grammar and spelling errors before you publish your post. You can use Grammarly and Hemingway to help with this. Also, use engaging language to make the content more enjoyable to read.
• Include visuals. Incorporate images, videos, and other visuals to make your content more visually appealing.
• Proofread before publishing. Before you hit the publish button, proofread your content a few times. This ensures that all information is accurate and there are no typos or grammar errors.

Using Local SEO to Attract Potential Clients Near You

Local SEO is a powerful tool for attracting potential customers within your service area. When users search for services in their local area, Google will display businesses with optimized content first. As a local business, this is exactly what you want.

Here are some tips for using local SEO to your advantage:

1. Create a Google My Business (GMB) Profile

Now called Google Business Profile (GBP), GMB is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their presence on Google Search and Maps. Ensure to include essential business information such as location, hours of operation, contact details, and services offered. This will help potential customers find your business more easily. GMB also helps your contracting company website rank in the Google Local Pack. This section of the SERP (Search Engine Result Page) displays three local businesses based on a user’s query.

2. Create Local Content

Creating content with local elements such as the city and state is a great local SEO strategy for contractors. This will signal to Google that your business is located in a certain area, which can help boost your visibility in local search results. These should be published on your blog or website and other local sites.

3. Local Reviews

Encourage clients to leave positive reviews on GMB and third-party sites like Yelp. This will help improve your local visibility on local searches and build trust with potential customers.

4. Local Directories

Include your business in online directories such as Yellow Pages and Yelp. This will help you appear higher in local search results. Make sure to write an engaging description and choose relevant categories for your business.

How to Make Your Website Mobile Device-Friendly

In the digital age, having a mobile-friendly website is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. With over 50% of global website traffic generated through mobile devices, if your site isn’t optimized for mobile viewing, you may be losing out on a significant number of potential customers.

Here’s how you can make your website more mobile device-friendly.

Understanding Mobile-Friendly Design

A mobile-friendly website is one that correctly displays on small, handheld devices like smartphones and tablets, as well as on desktop computers. Ideally, it should have the following:

• Readable text without the need for zooming
• Adequate space for tap targets like buttons and links
• No horizontal scrolling

Steps to Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

• Responsive web design. Responsive web design is the most effective way to make your website mobile-friendly. It allows your website’s layout to adjust and adapt to different screen sizes automatically. This means whether your site is viewed on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone, it will still look and function perfectly. Most modern website builders and platforms offer responsive themes.
• Simplify your site’s design. Mobile screens are much smaller than desktop screens, so it’s important to keep the design of all web pages simple. Use larger font sizes to improve readability, and ensure buttons and links are large enough to be easily tapped. Avoid using too many images or videos that can slow down your site’s load time—a crucial factor for mobile users.
• Prioritize content. On a mobile screen, space is limited. Prioritize your content based on what is most important for your users to see first. Keep your navigation menu concise, and consider using a hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines often used to represent a menu on mobile sites) to save space.
• Optimize images and videos. High-resolution images and videos can significantly slow down your site’s load time. Optimize your media files to ensure they are not too large. Also, make sure your videos are playable on all types of devices.
• Test your mobile site. Before launching, test your mobile site on various devices and browsers to ensure it’s working properly. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool can also provide valuable insights into how well your site works on mobile devices.
• Maintain mobile friendliness. Making your website mobile-friendly is a process that takes time and effort. As new devices and screen sizes become available and user behaviors change, you must test and update your site continually. Monitor your site’s performance regularly and make adjustments as needed.

Remember, mobile-friendly contractor websites aren’t just about making a site look good on smaller screens—it’s about providing a smooth and satisfying user experience regardless of the device being used.

How to Monitor the Success of Your SEO Efforts?

Monitoring the success of your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts is crucial in understanding whether your strategies are working or if they need to be adjusted.

First, you should understand your SEO goals. Before measuring success, you need to know what you’re aiming for. Are you trying to increase website traffic? Improve conversion rates? Boost sales? Rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs)? Understanding your goals will help you determine which metrics to track.

Key Metrics to Monitor

• Organic traffic. One of the primary objectives of SEO is to increase organic traffic—visitors who arrive at your site via a search engine. Tools like Google Analytics can provide insights into your organic traffic volume, allowing you to see if your SEO efforts drive more visitors to your site.
• Keyword rankings. Keyword rankings refer to your website’s position in search engine results for specific keywords. Tools such as SEMRush or Ahrefs can help track your keyword rankings over time. If your SEO strategies are successful, you should see your rankings improve.
• Bounce rate. Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate might indicate that your site isn’t relevant to the keywords you’re targeting or that users aren’t finding what they’re looking for.
• Conversion rate. This metric shows the percentage of visitors completing a desired action on your site, such as purchasing or signing up for a newsletter. An increase in conversion rates typically indicates effective SEO.
• Page load time. Page load time impacts both user experience and search engine rankings. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help monitor your site’s load time and provide suggestions for improvement.

Using SEO Tools

There are numerous SEO tools available that can assist with monitoring your SEO efforts. Here are some of the most popular:

• Google Analytics –  This free tool provides comprehensive data on website traffic, user behavior, and conversions.
• Google Search Console – It provides insights into your site’s search performance and identifies any issues affecting your rankings.
• SEMRush or Ahrefs – These paid platforms offer advanced keyword tracking, competitor analysis, and more.

Regular Reporting and Analysis

Monitoring your SEO success isn’t a one-time task; it requires ongoing analysis and adjustments based on your findings. Regularly review your metrics, generate reports, and analyze the data to understand what’s working and needs improvement.

Should You Hire a Professional SEO Company?

Hiring an experienced contractor SEO company can help boost your website’s rankings and visibility in search results. They are knowledgeable about the contractor SEO process. They will be able to create a custom contractor SEO strategy for improving your ranking, perform an SEO audit, and provide helpful insights on enhancing your website’s online visibility further.

Here are the benefits you can get when hiring professionals:

Expertise and Experience

SEO is complex and ever-changing. Google’s algorithms are updated regularly; keeping up with these changes can be a full-time job. A professional SEO company has the experience and expertise to navigate these changes and implement strategies that work.

Time and Resource Management

SEO is time-consuming. It involves keyword research, link building, content creation, site audits, and more. If you’re running a business, you may need more time to devote to these tasks. Hiring a professional SEO company allows you to focus on what you do best—running your business—while they take care of your SEO.

Access to Advanced Tools

Professional SEO companies have access to advanced tools and software that can aid in keyword research, competitor analysis, tracking, and analytics. These tools can provide valuable insights and data to drive your SEO strategy.

Long-Term Strategy

SEO is not a one-time task—it requires a long-term investment and ongoing maintenance. A professional SEO company can help create a long-term strategy and continuously monitor and adjust your SEO efforts to ensure they deliver the best results.

Key Takeaways

Search engine algorithms constantly change, so keeping up with the latest trends and best practices is essential. Similarly, the construction industry is highly competitive. By using local SEO tactics and optimizing your website for mobile devices, you can ensure that your business stands out from the competition and is easily found by potential customers.

Consider hiring a professional SEO company like SEO Brothers to help you create an effective contractor SEO strategy and get your website ranked higher in search results. This can help you increase the visibility and reach of your business, ultimately leading to more leads and revenue. Be sure to check out our other construction industry guides for more insight!